Bucket filling is an easy-to-understand concept: Everyone carries an invisible bucket that holds our good thoughts and feelings. When our buckets are full, we feel happy and when our buckets are empty, we feel sad.

Children quickly understand that they can fill buckets when they do and say things that are kind, considerate, caring, and respectful. They also learn that when they don’t make good choices they dip into buckets and remove those good feelings. Even the youngest child understands that actions and words can either fill a bucket or dip into it.

This program is an integral part of the work that we are doing at Ursuline in order to harness what the science of human connection is telling us about the importance of social and emotional competencies, and the impact upon outcomes for children. During the school year we encourage, remind and recognise everyone’s efforts to be bucket fillers at home, at school, and everywhere they go.